Lacy (The Doves of Primrose) (28 page)

About the Author

Nebraska native, Krista Kedrick, is the author or
Under a Prairie Moon
,
Family Ties
and
The Doves of Primrose
series. All her novels are set in Nebraska, a picturesque and diverse landscape perfect for her western romances. She is an avid outdoorswoman and is more often found digging in the dirt than wearing high heels. She resides in her hometown with her husband, two daughters and basset hound.

For more information on Krista visit:

kristakedrick.com

confessionsofacountrywriter.com (video blog)
anovelidealive.com (broadcast show)

Book Club Questions:

1.
Why do you think Lacy is hesitant to trust Kyle even though so much time has passed? Do you think she should have discussed it with him sooner?

2.
How do you think having girlfriends helps Lacy through her difficult decisions and overwhelming project of having the movie production at her bed and breakfast? Do you have friends that help you as well?

3.
Kyle has a hard time dealing with his brother’s death. Do you think he should have handled his parents differently? Have you experienced a loss that you would be willing to share with the group?

4.
Do you feel that Lacy and Kyle would have had different lives had they stayed together? Or do you think they needed this journey to discover themselves first?

5.
Emmylou is so desperate for love that she wanted to go to the wishing spring to make it happen. Have you ever felt that way about a person?

6.
Did you think that Lauren was a sociopath all along? Or did you believe that she was merely being difficult in unfamiliar surroundings?

7.
Do you feel that everyone in this story got what they deserved? Why or why not?

8.
What do you think about the history of The Dove House? Do you believe that family secrets/history can taint modern day people?

9.
Emmylou Bennett will be the next story in The Doves series. What do you think her hero will be like?

On the next page you will find a sample of a short story. This st
ory is about Emma Schuster, Lacy’s great-great-grandmother, and how she overcame tragedy and survived in the Wild West. It gives you a small glimpse of how The Dove House came to be. I hope you enjoy it.

The Dove House

Nebraska Territory 1874

The red stage coach bumped to a stop, Emma waited for the dust to settle before moving to the door. She waited longer, and when she was finally satisfied a gust of hot wind stirred littering the sky, the coach and her person in gritty dirt. The door flew open nearly causing the soul to jump from her body. She steadied her plum velvet bonnet and secured the taffeta ribbon beneath her chin.

“Thomas Schuster!” She leveled a glare at her grinning hu
sband, her mouth puckered just right for a scolding. “There is no need to go whipping open carriage doors and frightening me half to death.” She pulled on her lilac gloves, buttoning the tiny pearl button. 

“Yes, ma’am.”
She looked from his sweating head, to his elegant brown suit all of it filmed in dust. He extended an eager hand inside.

“And for heaven’s sake what are you so giddy about? I have seen nothing of this country that requires a toothy grin. It’s all dust, grass and smelly cattle. And the stories of savage Indians have kept me awake for the past six months with worry for your safety.” She accepted his hand in alighting. When her feet met ground she had the urge to clamber back inside and curl into a ball all the way back to New York. If her ridiculous husband hadn’t read that atrocious article in the paper she would be in her lovely morning room taking her tea with her friends. Instead she was here, in some sort of desert in the West.

“That carriage ride was the longest, dirtiest, most harrowing experience of all my life and that includes the ship across the Atlantic. Why you are just lucky I wasn’t attacked and murdered by some rampaging tribe. You can be sure that I would have haunted you to your dying day had that happened. ”

“It’s called a stage not a carriage dear and I know you’re bully enough to handle any old Indians.” Thomas squeezed her shou
lders, then offered his arm in escort. “Emma, my dear, what do you think of Primrose?”

He swept his arm displaying the town of newly constructed s
aloons, storefronts and rooming houses, to use the term loosely. They stepped onto the steps of Lungren’s General Store amongst the bustle of shoppers and cowboys. Her lilac gown and gaiters seemed out of place with all the calico fabric and sturdy boots passing by. The horses and herds of cattle gave a pungent odor that crept into everything. She would soon smell of a stable. It was awful in every sense of the word and she hated it. Dirt and smell and wide open spaces. It frightened her. Hollering men and
saloon girls!
Out in broad daylight! At least in New York they had the decency to keep it in their own district.

She would admit it was nice to be back in her husband’s company again, she had sorely missed him, but this place was awful and he had sunk every dime they had made at their brewery in New York and then borrowed from the bank up to their
fannies. If his dream of prospering in this booming cattle town didn’t pan out she didn’t know what they’d do.

Still, there was adventure in the air and the excitement of star
ting over in a new life. She hoped this place would give them children; though what they would learn here was unimaginable. They had been denied the blessings of a family so far perhaps here would be better. Thomas was certainly happy; just like a schoolboy again. They stopped in the alleyway and were bumped into by some surly-looking scoundrel type who glared them up and down.  Emma huddled closer to Thomas.

“And over there, Emma, will be the brewery.” He pointed to a place behind the buildings in the open prairie. Men were already at work and the structure was taking shape amidst the blue sky and yellow-green grass. Boards were being lifted and hammered into place. “I told ya didn’t
I?  This place is full of opportunity just waiting to be snatched up.” He smiled into her eyes and she again remembered why she loved him so dearly.

“It’s wonderful, darling.” Even though she wasn’t certain, she couldn’t bring herself to crush his spirits. His beaming smile was encouragement enough.

“Isn’t it?” 

Thomas was taking in the landscape and lazy current that swept the town along and Emma tried to do the same. After all, this was her new home she better find something to like about it.

“Let’s go to Dove House, now. I want to show it to you. Wait till you see it.” Thomas was all but quivering with pride and excitement it was hard for her not to catch his enthusiasm.

Thomas had written to her during their nearly one-year separ
ation, detailing the building of the house and the brewery and every bit and bob about Primrose. He had named their home after a pair of doves nesting in the trees. It was those letters that had her apprehensive to join him here to live their life. It seemed such a hard life on the prairie and she wasn’t sure she was up for it.

They had begun walking the boardwalk again when Thomas leaned closer to her. “You’ll have nothing to worry about, my dear. I have hired servants for you; you won’t have to lift a fi
nger. And I have furnished all the rooms, save the bedroom suite. I will leave that for you to do as you like.”

It sounded all so expensive and unnecessary to Emma. The people around here didn’t seem to be concerned with material things at all. Not like New York. Not a one of them were dressed in any sort of finery. She was making a note to get different dresses. If she were going to fit in and find friends around here she was going to have to change some things. Even get rid of the help.  She knew how poor folk looked at people like she and Thomas. Until she had married Thomas, she had been one of those people.

“Oh my darling, that’s not necessary. I’m sure any old furnishings will be fine. You know I don’t need anything special.”

“But you are special and I want to give you the world, Emma. And besides that, I’ve had a bit of luck at the tables.” He patted the breast of his jacket.

“Oh, Thomas, don’t tell me you’ve been in one of those vulgar establishments.” 

He stopped walking and held her at arm’s length. She could sink into his chocolate brown eyes full of love and passion and not surface for days. He was about to say something more when a man yelled his name and Thomas turned at the sound of it. Emma was going to have to get used to the rough culture in Primrose. She instantly recoiled from the vision of anger and grit standing not ten feet from them. This cowboy was in dire need of a bath and a shave. And the jangling he made when he moved gave her a chill.

She opened her mouth to give him the set down he deserved when a glint of silver blinded her momentarily and then a blast rang out over the street. Smoke billowed up and she felt Thomas clutch at her dress and nearly drag her down as he fell backwards. Screams and pounding feet split the air. The acrid smell of gunpowder and tinge of blood filled her nostrils as she followed Thomas to the ground.

For the continuing story of The Dove House visit:  www.kristakedrick.com